Princess, I Shrunk the Ponies!
by NintendoGal55
Summary: Twilight performs her latest spell for her friends to see, but the spell backfires as it ricochets off a nearby mirror and strikes Twilight and her friends. It turns out to be a shrinking spell, now reducing them to about three quarters of an inch tall. Their objective is to get to the Everfree Forest and see Zecora about it.


Humming a little tune, Twilight Sparkle smiled in satisfaction as she placed the last book she wanted to sort onto one of the shelves. That had been her task, to re-shelve everything, all in time for one certain task she couldn't wait to try out. With everything but a sweeping to the floor needing to be done, she was quite satisfied with her work. All of the shelves had been sorted, with the books in place, along with a smaller shelf serving as a "To Read" placing, for easy access to a couple of books she wanted to read in the next few hours or so.

"There we go! All done!" She then levitated a bag of bits, turning to where Spike was sorting some parchment for letters to send to Princess Celestia. "Hey, Spike! Why don't you take a break, and go out and get some treats for yourself? You've earned it!" She smiled brightly at her little dragon friend.

"Sure, Twilight!" Spike grinned toothily at the Unicorn, green eyes gleaming as he thought of picking up a batch of fresh-baked cupcakes from Sugarcube Corner. "Want anything special this time?"

"Hmmm..." Twilight thought for a moment, having not quite expected that. She had meant to make it that he earned a little treat, but here he was, offering to get her something too. "Oh, I think that some date squares would be great! The ones Pinkie made last week were awesome! Remember those?"

"Yeah!" Spike nodded, taking the sack of bits in his claws. "Okay, so I'll get you some of those, Twilight! After all, you deserve a little treat, too! You've been working so hard on that new spell all week, and you still won't even tell me what it is!" Here, he pouted cutely, his eyes growing big and watery.

"Awww..." Twilight smiled a bit, shaking her head as she patted his. "Well, don't you worry, Spike! The girls are coming over in a few minutes and I'll be demonstrating it then! Once you get back, you'll have a full display and a front row seat!" She winked at him. "You're going to love it, Spike. I promise!"

"Sounds awesome!" Spike grinned, heading for the door. "I'll be back soon! Don't start without me!"

"I won't!" Twilight waved a hoof at him as he headed out. Once he was gone, she sat down, wondering what she could do to pass the time until her friends arrived. She looked over at Owloysius, who was on his perch, looking at her intently.

"What do you think, Owloysius?"

"Who?" Owloysius hooted from his perch, unblinking eyes meeting Twilight's curious gaze.

Twilight giggled a bit, shaking her head. "Exactly."

Knock knock knock!

"Oh, that's them!" Twilight went to the door, using her magic to open it. "Come on in, girls!"

"Hellooooo, Twilight!" Pinkie Pie sang out as she bounced into the library. "Sooooo, are you finally gonna show us your ultra-super-duper-special top secret spell you've been working on all week? Are you, are you, are you?"

"Please say "yes" so she'll calm the buck down..." Rainbow Dash rolled her eyes as she flew in behind Pinkie Pie.

"Yes, Pinkie, I am." Twilight smiled as she nodded.

"Oh, how wonderful..." Fluttershy said, coming in behind Rainbow Dash.

"Well I certainly am looking forward to this, darling!" Rarity came trotting in next. "Whatever it may be, oh, I'm certain it will be quite fabulous!"

"Hoo-whee! Pinkie here cain't stop chatterin' on an' on 'bout what it could be, Twilight!" Applejack chuckled, shaking her head as she trotted in behind Rarity. "So why don't y'all show us so's we can finally get it over with?"

"Yesyesyesyesyes! Show us, Twilight! Show us your super-duper-ultra-special-top-secret new spell!" Pinkie exclaimed, munching on a box of popcorn she seemingly pulled out of thin air.

"Oh, well...I kind of promised Spike I'd wait until he returned. He just went to Sugarcube Corner to get some treats." Twilight said sheepishly.

"Oh...that's all right...it's nice of you to wait..." Fluttershy smiled.

"Well darling, I think our little Spikey Wikey will gladly appreciate it, oh yes!" Rarity sat delicately on a velvet cushion that seemed to come from out of nowhere.

"Hey, that's cool!" Rainbow Dash nodded, laying on the floor on her side, her hind legs stretched out behind her, propping herself up on one foreleg.

"Oooh, yes! Mustn't forget cute little Spikey!" Pinkie agreed, setting her popcorn box aside.

"Shoot, no! If'n y'all promised Spike ya'd wait till he was back ta start the show, then by all means, Sugarcube. Ah ain't in no hurry!" Applejack laid down in a similar position as Rainbow's, taking off her cowfilly hat and laying it in front of her.

"Neither am I, so it's quite all right..." Fluttershy lay on her stomach on the floor near Rainbow Dash, a few steps away. Her tail swished, discreetly entangling with the other Pegasus' tail.

"Indeed, darling!" Rarity adjusted her stylish coiffure for a moment, and winked. "Well! How of everything else?"

"Not much to report! Shining Armor and Cadance came back from their honeymoon just yesterday." Twilight giggled a bit. "They sent a letter, and now they're getting settled in back home before Shining Armor has to get back to work."

"You think there'll be any foals on the way?" Rainbow snickered, only to be nudged in the side by Fluttershy. "Hey, I'm just kidding, jeez!"

"Ain't no reason ta go 'round bein' lewd, Rainbow," Applejack chided.

"Oh, oh! Twilight, you HAVE to let me know when you're gonna be an auntie!" Pinkie chattered excitedly. "I wanna throw a BIG congratulations party for the new parents-to-be, whenever they may be!"

Twilight blushed and laughed a bit. "It's okay, girls, I can see why you'd be...well, curious. No no, I think they're going to wait a few years before they decide to start a family. Get used to being married, you know?"

Applejack spoke up then, changing the subject. "Well, Ah'm happy ta report that harvest season's goin' well this year, what with our new li'l farmhand."

Now Twilight smiled as she turned to Applejack, "Oooh! Really? I heard about it, especially with how your apple goods sold out when you had the stand set up in town yesterday!"

"Well, I must say they were indeed marvelous apples!" Rarity blew a kiss in an exaggerated expression of how delicious they were.

"Eeyup!" Applejack nodded, blushing mildly from Rarity's praise of her crop. "Ah'll tell y'all somethin', them folks out in Flower Valley sure know what the hay they're talkin' 'bout when they says they're experts at growin'!"

"I'll say!" Rainbow Dash agreed, licking her lips. "I still can't get that awesome taste off my tongue! ...Not that I want to, anyways!"

"Considering that Flower Valley consists mostly of Earth Ponies, it's no wonder they know their stuff!" Twilight agreed. "I don't know how you did it Applejack, but you made those apple dumplings even better.

"Oh, yes...and that apple pie we-...er...I had yesterday...was really good." Fluttershy hid behind her mane a bit, blushing.

"I must agree! And I for one thoroughly adored it all! Those fritters, oh my!" Rarity giggled madly, like a schoolfilly. "Simply divine! Sweetie Belle was quite partial to them when I gave her some for dessert!"

"Scootaloo the squirt was more than happy to take the leftover pie I offered her." Rainbow Dash grinned, tossing her rainbow-colored mane over her shoulder. "She said she can't wait to have more, too!"

"Awww, shucks!" Applejack blushed again, smiling modestly at her friends. "Ah cain't take all the credit, now! A lot of it goes ta Sweet Apple Acres' new hired hoof, after all!"

"Well darling, I certainly must express that all the work you and your farm's new help have put into have been simply wonderful!" Rarity waved a hoof dramatically.

"Yep!" Twilight agreed with a grin. "How about you, Rainbow Dash? You said you were working on a new trick. How's it coming along?"

"It's going very well, isn't it?" Fluttershy looked to her friend. "I've been watching her practice it..."

"Oh, yeah!" Rainbow Dash grinned, her wings flaring out for a moment before folding at her sides. "It's gonna be my most awesome trick, yet! It might even surpass my already-awesome Sonic-Rainboom!"

"Really?" Pinkie's eyes went wide. "But your Sonic-Rainboom is the most awesomest trick ever, Dashie! Do you really think your new trick can surpass that much awesomeness?"

"Oh my! Surpassing that of all tricks? Certainly stunning!" Rarity admitted.

"As Rainbow puts it, it's going to be 20% cooler," Fluttershy giggled. "Woohoo..."

"That sounds great!" Twilight grinned. "Now that I have to see, how a trick can surpass the Sonic Rainboom!"

"Wait till you guys see it!" Rainbow stood for a moment, puffing out her chest proudly. She lay back down, in the same position as before, although a little closer to Fluttershy. "It's gonna blow you away!"

"So is it like a tornado, then?" Pinkie prompted. "Oooh, oooh! Or is it more like a hurricane? Some kind of windstorm? I wanna know, I wanna know!"

"Now now, dear, Rainbow Dash will surely tell us when she's ready!" Rarity lovingly chastised the pink Earth pony.

"I don't doubt it." Twilight chuckled.

Fluttershy giggled a bit. "From what I've seen so far, it's worth it..."

"Oh, trust me! You'll see it soon!" Rainbow promised. "You won't be disappointed, either!"

The six of them all shared a laugh, before Rarity spoke up, "Now then, redirecting your attention, I simply MUST tell you of a very wondrous breakthrough! I was appointed by a very interesting client, who had requested I create suits that would make for excellent use of working out and training! While I of course made sure they were as stylish as they were useful for training, I think it has been quite a breakthrough!"

"Oh, that's wonderful!" Fluttershy smiled. "You were telling me about it at the spa today, and I can't wait to see it!"

"Wow, training clothes? That's pretty nice how you've branched out to that kind of thing," Twilight nodded in approval.

"Trainin' clothes?" Applejack whistled, clearly impressed. "Ah mus' say, Rarity! Ah'm surprised ta hear of ya makin' somethin' other than fancy dresses! So who's the client?"

Rarity giggled. "Why, the lovely Wonderbolt Spitfire, of course! She appointed me personally to create a menagerie of training clothing! Oh, the ideas simply flowed like a river! I knew then and there to create wonderful styles meant to shine in the midst of hard physical work! I created the fabrics to breathe, but still durable against all movement, to be warm but still cooling, oh yes!"

Rainbow's magenta eyes widened. "No WAY! THE captain of the Wonderbolts asked you to make training clothes? That is SO incredibly AWESOME!"

"I'll say! That's super-duper-ultra-extra-special awesome!" Pinkie grinned, bouncing about in excited glee. "You must feel SOOOOO honored, Rarity!"

"Well, I certainly must say that is indeed an honour!" Rarity said sweetly with a wink. "Surely you will all love them, I hope!"

"Hello!" Spike came wandering in, with a bag of treats in his hands. "You didn't start without me, did you?"

"Of course not, Spike." Twilight assured. "We were just chatting to pass the time."

"Of course we waited fer y'all, Spike!" Applejack smiled at the baby dragon. "Now, why don't y'all sit yerself down, so's we can get started?"

"Oooh, Spikey! You brought goodies?" Pinkie's eyes lit up. "What'dja get?"

"Just a few things..." Spike sat down next to Rarity.

"Welcome back, Spikey Wikey!" Rarity gave him a little friendly nuzzle. "Mmm! Smells delicious, dear! May I have one of whatever you have there?"

"...Yeah..." Spike chuckled and gave her a cupcake.

"Thank you, darling!" Rarity levitated it and took a bite.

"All right!" Twilight stood up. "I'm about to show you guys my latest spell! I just need an inanimate object."

"Oooh, I know, I know!" Pinkie grabbed Applejack's cowfilly hat. "Try it on this!"

"Not mah hat, Pinkie." Applejack grabbed her hat back and placed it on her head.

"How 'bout this little beauty?" Rainbow Dash pulled an apple from her saddle bags. "I grabbed it to snack on while I practiced, but Fluttershy met up with me after her spa date was finished, and we went out for lunch together, instead."

"Awwww..." Rarity cooed, winking knowingly, giggling a bit as Fluttershy blushed heavily.

"Perfect!" Twilight levitated the apple to her, and placed it on the floor before her. "So keep your eyes peeled on the apple, everypony!"

"Awesome!" Spike grinned, eagerly watching the apple.

"Okay! ...Wait, wouldn't peeling my eyes hurt?" Pinkie blinked. "How would I do that, anyway? I don't think I can take my eyes out to peel them."

"Pinkie, you're SOOOOO random..." Rainbow Dash rolled her eyes and shook her head, before focusing her attention on the apple.

"It's a figure of speech meaning to keep your eye on something, darling." Rarity told her.

"Ohhhhh!" Pinkie nodded, before frowning in confusion. "But I still can't take out my eyes! How can I keep them on the apple?"

"Jus' watch the apple, Sugarcube..." Applejack told her with a sigh. "Twi's gon' do somethin' to it..."

"Right! So here we go!" Twilight pointed her horn toward it as if flared up with magic. Concentrating, the magic from her horn then shot out from the tip like a lazer, heading right toward the apple.

All eyes were focused on the apple, and on the beam of magic that had fired from Twilight's horn. Nopony noticed that after hitting the apple, the beam ricocheted off a nearby mirror. There was then a bright flash that filled the room, as well as everypony's vision. Strange feelings arose, and yet passed within a second, as if a whisper in the wind. A moment passed, then the light cleared, and everypony regained themselves.

"Okay...that could've gone better..." Twilight rubbed her head. "Sorry about that, everypony! When I tested it, didn't react like that." "It's quite all right, dear, I think that we-OH!" Rarity noticed something HUGE in front of them, big and red. "The apple!"

"Eeeeep!" Fluttershy unwittingly grabbed onto Rainbow Dash tightly. "It's..huge!"

"What the hay happened?" Applejack exclaimed, looking all around. "Twi, did we...did we-"

"AAAAIIEEE!" Pinkie suddenly screamed. "GIANT DRAGON! RUN FOR YOUR LIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIVES!"

"DRAGON?" Fluttershy screamed, holding the cyan Pegasus tighter and burying her face in her mane, trembling with fear.

"Girls, calm down! There's no giant dragon and we didn't-" Twilight then took in their surroundings, losing colour in her face.

Everything around them was bigger. Not to mention higher. As if everything around them had grown superfluously. The apple especially, was enormous, about the size of Canterlot Castle, even. As if it could crush them in an instant. For a moment, Twilight couldn't help but think that maybe... No. She knew. Everything else didn't get bigger.

They had shrunk.

"Guys? You guys, where are you?" Spike's VERY loud, booming voice was heard as the little, now HUGE dragon stood up, looking afraid. "Twilight? Twilight where are you?"

"Gaaah! Um...Fluttershy...you're...breaking my wings..." Rainbow Dash managed, struggling to free herself from the other Pegasus's death grip.

"Oh no, oh no, oh nonononono!" Pinkie wailed in despair. "This is terrible! This is awful! This is awfully terrible!"

Fluttershy loosened her hold a little, whimpering. "I'm scared...what happened? Oh...if there's a dragon! Make it go away!"

"Oh no! This is awful! Terrible! This is by far the MOST. HORRIBLE. THING!" Rarity fell to the floor in a mock faint.

"This isn't good, everypony! We've shrunk! The spell was meant to shrink something or somepony down, but it somehow must have backfired onto us!" Twilight realized in panic.

"That ain't good, Twilight!" Applejack looked at the Unicorn fearfully.

"An' Ah don't jus' mean the shrinkin'!"

"Oh no, oh no! I've seen this movie!" Pinkie cowered in fear, pressing her hooves over her eyes. "Twilight, make us big again! I don't wanna be itty-bitty teeny-tiny!"

"I...I can't!" Twilight confessed in fear. "I only know how to use the shrinking spell, but I don't know how to reverse it! It's a highly advanced shrinking spell that can also work on ponies too, so the undoing is more complicated!"

"You mean to say we're stuck like this? Oh, no no no! I just had myself groomed!" Rarity complained.

"What? I can't be stuck like this! I'll NEVER be able to join the Wonderbolts if I'm the size of a Parasprite!" Rainbow Dash cried, now clinging onto Fluttershy.

"There mus' be somepony who cain help us!" Applejack reasoned. "Surely the only way ta reverse the shrinkin' ain't by means of a magic spell! What 'bout the Princess?"

"And I won't be able to take care of my animal friends!" Fluttershy sniffled. "Now that we're the size of mice!"

"Actually, we're about three quarters of an inch tall." Twilight clarified.

"As though that makes it better, darling!" Rarity stood up. "We must find a way to undo this spell, then! If the Princess cannot help us, perhaps Zecora could."

"But as little as we are, Zecora might just gobble us up in a big tasty stew! Just like in my song!" Pinkie worried, before beginning to sing. "_She's an evil enchantress! She does evil dances! And if you look in her_-mmph!"

Rainbow Dash had slapped her hoof over Pinkie's mouth. "Without the corny song, I have to say I sort-of agree with Pinkie Pie. But not about Zecora. I'm talking about the predators that could be waiting for us along the way to and within the Everfree Forest!"

"If only we could find somepony ta take us there..." Applejack lamented, looking to Twilight helplessly.

"It's either we make our way to Canterlot...or we go through the Everfree Forest." Twilight said.

Fluttershy immediately squealed in fright and hid behind Rainbow Dash in some kind of attempt to hide away. "No! No no no no! I'm not going in there while this size! We could easily be crushed or worse, eaten! No!"

"Fluttershy, darling...it is our best hope." Rarity coaxed.

"Sorry, pal. We've kinda got no choice," Rainbow Dash hugged her gently to reassure her. "Besides...we'll all stick together. Right, Twilight?"

"Ah wouldn'ta suggested splittin' up even if we weren't shrunk!" Applejack agreed with a nod.

Fluttershy whimpered, nuzzling into the rainbow mane, trembling.

"Then it's settled. We'll go into the Everfree Forest, and have Zecora help us out." Twilight proclaimed. "Darling, considering we're less than even an inch tall, and can't be heard...how will we even get her attention?" Rarity queried. Twilight blinked, having not thought of that. "You're right... We'll have to find a way to get her attention when we get there."

"But first we should worry about finding a place to HIDE!" Pinkie cried in terror, pointing her hoof at giant Spike with an enormous broom in his claws.

"Oh, no! Twi, ain't t'day the day Spike cleans the library?" Applejack realized, green eyes wide in horror.

"Oh no...it is!" Twilight realized. "Everypony RUN!"

The shrunken ponies scattered all over looking for hiding places, as Spike began to sweep the floors. As expected, the not-so-little dragon was completely unaware, as well as still worried, about where his friends had gone. Especially unaware that they were right in front of him, evading the broom he was sweeping across the floor.

It swept all over the floor, blowing particles of dust toward and around them, the bristles threatening. The ponies knew that they were in big trouble if they were to be caught by the broom, now much bigger than they all were.

"HURRY! RUN AWAY!" Pinkie cried, galloping as fast as she could.

"C'mon, Fluttershy! FLY!" Rainbow nudged her fellow Pegasus, urging her to fly away.

"I'm trying!" Fluttershy flapped her wings hard again as she was running and jumping.

She lifted into the air, but only found herself coming down to the floor again. Gathering herself, she stood back up and kept running, doing all she could to gather the strength to fly. She ran and jumped, ran and jumped, but couldn't fly like she normally could. Unfortunately, the broom came sweeping right toward her!

"AAIEE! Rainbow Dash! Save yourself! Save yourself! Get out of-"

But the yellow Pegasus was cut off when she was swept into the broom.

"Oh no, Fluttershy!" Twilight yelled. "Hurry, everypony! Get to the side of the room!"

"Fluttershy!" Rainbow cried. She flew as hard and as fast as she could, but soon found herself swept up by the broom, as well.

"DASHIE, NOOOOO!" Pinkie wailed, before also being swept up into the broom.

"Oh no, Pinkie Pie!" Applejack cried out, running with Twilight and Rarity to the sides of the room.

"Come on girls, we can make it! We just have to-AIEE!" Twilight was then swept up by the broom.

"Oh no! It has Twilight now!" Rarity grabbed onto Applejack tightly. "Darling, let us take this bold sacrifice together! There is nothing further we can do!"

"Ah guess yer right 'bout that, Rarity!" Clinging onto Rarity, Applejack removed her cowfilly hat with one hoof, clutching it to her chest as she and the fashion-designer Unicorn were also swept up by the broom.

"Wonder where they went..." Spike muttered to himself, opening the front door and shaking the broom. "I guess Twilight's spell messed up and they ended up teleporting! Oh well...hope they come back soon! I want to see that trick Twilight did!"

He shook the broom, padding it along the ground, and then went inside.

XXX

Twilight coughed, shaking herself of the dust. "Wow...that was...weird...but at least we're outside. Is everypony okay?"

Rarity groaned, sprawled on top of Applejack, looking ready to throw up. "I believe I'll pass on ever riding a roller coaster again, darling..."Oh!" The white Unicorn stood up, realizing Applejack had been under her. "Applejack dear, are you all right?" She noticed her hat on the ground a few feet away, and picked it up with her magic, levitating it over to her.

"S-sure...j-jus' f-fi...fi..." Applejack twitched her snout, before letting out a sneeze. "...Jus' fine, hon."

"Mmm..." Fluttershy weakly lifted herself off the ground. "Ooh...that hurt...I was...Rainbow? Rainbow Dash? Where is she?" She noticed the said Pegasus lying a few feet away on a fallen leaf. "Rainbow Dash!" She rushed over to her, gently nudging her with her hoof. "Are you all right?"

Rainbow Dash moaned, stirring slightly when the other Pegasus nudged her with her hoof. She coughed, spitting out some dust, before managing to shakily stand. "Ugh...yeah, I think...I'm fine..."

"Oh, Rainbow Dash!" Fluttershy enveloped her in a hug, so relieved that her best friend was okay.

"Heh...I'm okay, Fluttershy...really..." Rainbow insisted, though she hugged her best friend in return. Then she blinked. "...Has anyone seen Pinkie Pie?"

"Pinkie?" Twilight blinked, and looked around nervously. "Pinkie! Pinkie, where are you?"

"Pinkie! Pinkie Pie, where are you?"

"Pinkie Pie? Shout if ya cain hear us!"

"Pinkie Pie, darling! Please answer us!"

"This isn't funny, Pinkie! You better not be hiding!" Twilight warned.

"P-Pinkie?" Fluttershy mumbled.

"Pinkie Pie!" Rainbow Dash called out. "If this is some kind of a prank, so help me-!"

Applejack's ears suddenly perked up. "Wait a minute! Did y'all hear that?"

"Hear what, Applejack?" Twilight tured to the farmer pony, perking her ears up for any sound.

"It sounds like..." Rainbow Dash perked her ears, as well.

"Mmmph mmm mm!" A muffled voice cried from somewhere nearby.

They dashed through the grass, which to them, towered several inches taller than they were. It made the area around them seem like a dense, dangerous jungle, despite that it was only the front lawn of the library.

A sinking feeling coursed through Twilight's stomach as she came to realize that reaching the Everfree Forest alone was going to be a dangerous feat. Now the five ponies followed the sound, hoping that Pinkie Pie was okay.

"Pinkie? Pinkie, it's okay! We're coming!" Twilight called out.

"Mmmph mmm mm!" The muffled voice cried out again. It was slightly louder, this time.

"C'mon! I think she's over here!" Rainbow Dash flew over to where she thought the muffled voice was coming from, finding a pair of pink hind legs and a poofy dark-pink tail sticking up from the ground.

"There she is! C'mon, everypony!" Applejack called, galloping over to help Rainbow Dash remove the pink party mare from the ground.

With her mouth, Rainbow Dash grabbed her tail. Fluttershy followed suit, grabbing Rainbow Dash's tail. Applejack grabbed Fluttershy's tail. Rarity grabbed Applejack's tail. Twilight finally grabbed Rarity's tail.

"Everypony, pull!" Twilight said around Rarity's tail.

All of the ponies pulled and tugged with all of their might, until finally they managed to pull their friend free from the ground.

"Mmmph mmm mm!" Pinkie exclaimed, muffled. She spit out the mouthful of dirt and tried speaking again. "Whew! Thanks a lot, everypony! I thought I'd be stuck there forEEEEEVER!"

"Don' mention it, Sugarcube." Applejack nodded. "We're jus' glad yer awright."

"Thank Celestia for that..." Twilight agreed. "So, now that we're outside, we'll have to make our way to the Everfree Forest. ...It won't be easy, but it's all we can do."

"I...I don't like this, girls..." Fluttershy whimpered, looking up toward the sky, past all the taller blades of grass. "It could be dangerous...and could take forever..."

"Well...maybe we'll get lucky an' come across somepony who cain help us..." Applejack suggested helpfully.

"Only one problem with that, AJ. How are they gonna hear us?" Rainbow Dash pointed out, hovering in the air with her forelegs crossed.

"A cloud won't hold all of us since we're not Pegasi, and I don't know if you guys will even manage to stand on it given your size." Twilight bit her lip. "Then whatever shall we do?" Rarity moaned.

"Ah dunno..." Applejack sighed heavily, feeling tears gathering in her eyes. "But Ah'm afraid we're prob'ly gon' be stuck this way fer a long while...seems purty hopeless now, y'all..." She sniffled, turning away so the other girls wouldn't see her crying.

"As much as I hate to admit it..." Rainbow Dash sighed, shaking her head. "I think AJ's right. We need to find somepony to help us get to the Everfree Forest..."

"Oh, darling..." Rarity came to Applejack's side, producing a handkerchief to wipe her eyes. "There there now... But then I worry of our dear sisters...Oh, I hope they will be all right!"

Fluttershy whimpered, snuggling against Rainbow Dash for comfort.

"You're right..." Twilight sighed. "I just wish I knew how we could do that."

Rainbow Dash sighed a bit again, wrapping her forelegs around Fluttershy in a comforting embrace. There wasn't much she could say, try as she would have, given their current situation. All she could do was hold her close and at least assure her that she was there for her, they all were.

"We have to find somepony who can see us and hear us!" Pinkie declared. "It should probably be a Unicorn!"

Applejack sniffled, trying hard to fight back her tears. "But...where do we even start...? Nopony's gon' be able ta see or hear us at their front door..."

"Let alone even see us..." Rarity agreed, bringing a foreleg around Applejack's shoulders in comfort.

"We'll just have to try something. Otherwise, we're on our own. Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy can still fly, but even that won't get things too far." Twilight contemplated for a few moments, uncertain. "Rarity and I can still use magic, but I don't know if it works to the same strength considering how small we are now."

Applejack snuggled into Rarity's neck, sniffling and choking back soft sobs. "An'...an' what are Pinkie an' me good fer...? We cain't fly...an' we ain't got no special magic powers..."

"We're just plain ol' boring-boring Earth ponies!" Pinkie pouted, her poofy mane and tail deflating and falling flat. "...We're utterly useless now."

"That's not true," Twilight chided. "As Earth ponies, you're more connected to the ground and plants than the rest of us. Pinkie, you can even use your Pinkie Sense to keep an eye out for anything that might be coming our way. Applejack, you can use your lasso or your legs to help us get further along the grass." The lavender Unicorn gently touched Pinkie Pie's shoulder as she eyed the four ponies in how close they were...how it just kind of compelled her to do the same. "You're not boring or useless just because you're an Earth pony. I never underestimated Earth ponies, and I'm not about to start that now."

"Re-really, Twi...?" Sniffling, the orange Earth pony looked up at the Unicorn, her cheeks and snout wet with tears.

"You...mean that, Twilight...?" Pinkamena looked hopefully up at her friend.

"Of course I mean that," Twilight smiled. "I always have. I think Earth ponies have far more strength and potential than they think. Just because you guys can't fly or do magic the same way Pegasi and Unicorns can...doesn't mean that you're less worth of being a pony. Of being powerful in your own ways."

"Twilight is quite right, darling." Rarity nodded, gently wiping Applejack's tears tenderly with her handkerchief. "I for one hold great hope in your abilities!"

"Yeah! Your Pinkie sense is awesome!" Rainbow Dash agreed with a grin. "It's almost like you're psychic or something!"

Pinkie's mane and tail "re-inflated" and she smiled widely. "You're right, Dashie! My Pinkie sense will keep us safe from any danger!"

Applejack managed to smile, sniffling a bit. "An' Ah've always got the boys here ta help out..." She chuckled softly, kicking out each of her back legs slightly. "Good ol' Bucky McGillicuddy an' Kicks McGee..."

"That's the spirit!" Twilight smiled. "So with all of us together, we'll make it to the Everfree Forest, we'll make it to Zecora's, and we'll be our normal size again!" "Exactly right! The sooner we get moving, the sooner we can be big again, I can get back to the shop, and make sure my darling Sweetie Belle will be all right!" Rarity stood straight. "I...I..." Fluttershy blushed a bit, hesitated, but then nuzzled Rainbow Dash for comfort. "I'm ready, too...I'm with you girls..."

"Eeyup." Applejack rubbed her snout with her hoof before putting on her hat. "We'll all make it tagether."

"You bet!" Rainbow Dash grinned, nuzzling Fluttershy in assurance. "Let's do this, guys!"

"And awa-a-a-a-ay we go!" Pinkie cheered, bouncing in place in her usual manner.

With that said, the Elements of Harmony, with determination in their hearts, readily braved the makeshift jungle ahead of them. They walked along, keeping an eye out for anything, especially Pinkie Pie for her infamous Pinkie Sense. Rainbow Dash even hovered the in the air above the grass to keep an out for obstacles head and above, while Fluttershy occasionally managed to join her. Twilight, Rarity and Applejack kept going along, making sure to clear anything in their path however they needed to. Tough as it was going to be, they were ready for this!

* * *

**From the same friend I wrote "Love Cures All" with, we decided to have a ball with writing a story of the Mane 6 getting shrunk. My friend and I are fans of the Rick Moranis films involving the Shrink Ray, so that's pretty much where the inspiration comes from. Some bits will be inspired by the films (aside from the first sequel, that one not so much), so if you have seen them, you might recognize them.**

**There IS some FlutterDash shipping, and some hints here and there pointing toward Rarity and Applejack. ;) I rated this just due to some content, but nothing is graphic nor explicit.  
**


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